mckenzie



E. IVI. M-CKENZIE.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. |918.

'Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

vAPPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1918.

E. IVI. IVICKENZIE.

TRACTOR.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. IVI. MCKENZIE.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. Isls.

Patent-ed Sept. 23, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 PE Z m E u IIIHI -IIII III- VK a w, a m E. n r s :A @WI.E. IVI. II/IcKENZIE.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. i918. T'?. mentedsept. 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

` FFiQE.

i ERNEST M.. MUKENZE, F NAPA, GALIFOMIA.

TRACTOR.

wiccan* y Application :tiled April 22, 1918. Serial No. 230,102.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST'M. MGKENzm,

a citizen ofthe United States, residing lat Napa, in the countyof Napaand State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements inTractors, of which the followingis a speciiication.

sey

The presentinventionrelates to improve= ments-in tractors ofthecaterpillar type.

One object is to provide a caterpillar trac.

Ytion attachment forordinary trucks where-g by any truck can beconvertedinto a cater pillar traction engine. f I A further object is toprovide, in such an attachment, either for trucks or tractors,

means forv holding the front portion of the tractor down .to the groundand for preventing it from moving laterally.

A further object is to `provide a frame for supporting the bearings ofthe traction wheels and around which-the chain travels,

so constructed .that said bearings may be drawn nearA each other topermit the chain to be slackened and one or more links removed thererom.

A furtherobject is to provide means for resisting .side thrust upon thetread without undulyffincre'asing the. friction from sald thrus vA'furtherobject is to .reduce the friction on the connections betweenthe ends of the links resulting from the pressure thereon.

A` further ob'ect is to provide a tread having links w ich can be formedvery cheaply and having sides which can he 1n- 4terchanged, therebyreducing .the cost of making the links by enabling both sides to be madefrom one pattern.

A further object is to provide in a tread shoes of very simple andeconomical con struction and provided with removablev traction gripswhlch 'can Abe interchanged vention will appear in the descriptionthereof and particularly p ointed out in the claims. In theaccompanymgdrawings, Figure l is a side view of a tread' attachment to acaterpillar tractor; Fig. 2 is abroken plan view of the same; Fig. 3 isa cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. i is a cross section onthe line 4--4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional v1ewshowing the upper part of the mechanism shown in F1g.`3; Fig. 6 is asimilar View show' the upper part of that shown in Fig. 4:; ig. 1s abroken plan view of the caterpillar tractor, various parts notpertinent'to my lnvention being omitted; Fig. 8 is a'longitudinalsectional view of a shaft and a pinion thereon; Fi 9 is a detail' sideview of a sprocket whee Fig. 10 is a sectional View of the same throughthe axis; Fig. 11 is a detail sectional View cfa housin Fig. 1121? aperspective view of a treac chain My improved attachment includes anextensible frame, for the purposes of insuring the absence of lostmotion in the tread chain, and so that said chain can readily beslackened to any extent desired and one or more links can be removedtherefrom.

Referring to the drawin 1, 2, indicate upper and -lower plates, Wich arerespectivel secured at their edges by sheet metal brac ets 3 to the topsand bottoms of standards 4, 5, preferably channel irons, of which therear standards 5 are fixedly secured, thus constituting a stationaryframe 15, and the front standards 4 are movably secured to the lates 1,2, constituting a movable frame. n the center of the upper side of thelower plate is a longitudinally extending I-beam 10, serving tostrengthen the frame formed Speoiucation of Letters Patent. a'temtedSept. 23, 11919..

by said plates and standards. On the outer sides of said plates l, 2,are secured, nearl to receive with a close iit the heads of the bolts.On said wear plates can roll rollers 13, which rotate around spacingtubes 1i, (Fig. 5),Which space from ca ch other the ends of oppositesheet metal link members 16 of links (Fig. 12), of the tread cham, saidends being connected to each other by bolts 17 through said spacingtubes, washers 18 around sald bolts, and cotter pins 19 through saidbolts outside saidl washers. It will be observed that Iboth members ofthe link are preciselyalike in form, so that any link member can be usedon either side of the link. Said link members 16 are of sheet metal andare formed with ears or plates 21 extending outward from the mainportions of the link members, and through each pair of ears extends abolt 22, around which is a spacing tube 23, (Fig. 6), around which inturn is a roller 24. The rollers 24 roll against the inner surfaces ofthe vertically extending memlbers of said angle plates. 6, whichthereby, without undue friction, take up thel side thrust imparted tothe tread by the movement of the machine over the ground.

To those ears 21 which extend from the outer edges of the companion linkmembers of opposite links is secured a shoe 26, also of sheet metal, andto the outer side of the central portion of the shoe is secured a trac-Ation grip 27. Each grip 27 is secured to a shoe 26, and the shoe 26 issecured to the rears 16 by the same bolts 22, which serve as shafts 'forthe rollers 24. Said traction gri-ps may be of any desired form, and itwill be observed that, by the above construction, said grips can bereadily removed and others substituted therefor.

Said links travel around a front sprocket wheel 28 and a rear drivingsprocket wheel 39, said wheels being formed with teeth 41 to engage therollers 13. The front wheel turns around a shaft 42, the ends of whichare fixed in blocks 43, the-ends of said shaft being secured to saidblocks bymeans rof taper pins 44 driven therethrough. Said blocks areslidably supported between upper and lower longitudinally extendingchannel irons 45, 46. The central portions of the upper and lower edgesof the blocks are grooved, as shown at 47, to receive the horizontalmembers of the channel irons and retain the blocks thereon. The frontends of each pair of channel irons, and 'also portions thereof to therear of the blocks, are spaced from each other by spacing tubes 48 andare connected together lby bolts 49. Behind the rear bolts 49 thechannel irons diverge,

s as shown at 51, extendingv respectively upwardly land downwardly, andform the front portion ofa movable frame. They are connected at theirrear ends with .longitudinally extending dat lplates or bars 52, whichare connected to the tops and bottoms of Athe front standards 4. Thechannel irons 45, 46, are connected not only Iby bolts 53 to the twofront standard 4 on each side, but also by bolts 54 to the ates 52. Thelates 52 are connected to tilde upper and' ower `pilates 1, 2, and theangle irons 6 byf-the lts 55. When it is desired to move the frontsprocket wheel 28 rearwardly, toward the mainframe of the attachment,the bolts 55 are withdrawn, and then the channel irons 45, 46, thefirst. two standards 4, and the plates 52, are moved rearwardly. Thebolts 55 are then replaced through the same holes in the plates 52, butthrough diiierent holes 50 in the lates 1, 2, and angle irons 6. In thisposition the chain is very much slackened, so that one or more links canbe re-' moved therefrom. according to the new position of' the frontwheel 28. ards 5 are connected to one another by oblique ties 54a.

Extending around the shaft 42 are the 'front'ends of members 56 of ayoke-shaped piece 57 of which the rear end is threaded, as shown at 60,and extends centrally of the machine and is guided through alongitudinally extending hole in a cross-member 58 extending between thesecond pair `of standards 4. Around said rod is a coiled spring 59 whichis compressed between said crossmember and a nut 61 screwed upon therod, So that said spring alw-ays forces the shaft 42,` and the wheel 28rotating thereon, forwardly-and thus takes up any slack in the chain.

To the rear ends of the top and bottom of the stationary frame 15 aresecured pairs of channel irons 62, 63, similar in general-arrangement tothe channel irons 45, 46, and converging rearwardly, and which areattached to blocks 64, in which are contained the ends of a shaft 66upon which can turn the rear driving sprocket wheel 39, the sprocketteeth of which engage the rollers of the chain.

It is to be understood that one of said tread frames or attachments,carrying the tread and the chain thereon, is located on each side of atractor frame 67, which is of a common construction, and which restspartly upon bearings 68 for the shaft 66.

If the w'eight of the tractor is transmitted to the tread attachmentssolely through said rear shaft 66, and none of said weight is borne bythe front portion of said attachments, any obstructions or unevenness inthe ground would tend to raise the front ends of said attachments, andin doing so to reduce the tractive power of the chain. Moreover, anyobstruction encountered by the forward part of the tread, and which doesnot meet said forward parts squarely, tends to force it to one side orthe other, and, if the tread frame is connected to the tractor frameonly vby the rear axle, its laterally acting force would act upon thetread frame at the end of a very long arm, namely, the whole length ofthe tread frame, and would place a severe strain upon the rear axle andthe bearings j therefor. To avoid these results I secure to the tractorframe a fixed transverse shaft 71 (Fig. 7) on which, at

The rear stand- Leiche? each side of the tractor frame, are loosesleeves 72, from which sleeves extend forwardly and downwardly arms 73,which arms at their outer ends are extended out- 'wardly, as shown at74, in directions transbetween'the longitudinal members 78 of thetractor frame and said extensions 7 5 of the.

sleeves. Moreover, the above arrangementresists to a considerabledegree'any tendency of the tread frame to move laterally due toobstructions which may be met.

An important feature of my .invention relates to the means whereby thesetread attachments can be attached to an ordinary self-propelled truck toconvert it into a tractor. First, to the truck, like the tractor, areattached the fixed transverse shaft 71, having the sleeves 72 and arms73, and also the bearings 68 for the shaft 66. Then the rear wheels ofthe4 trucky are removed from its driving axle l8'1 and the said rearaxle is caused to rest at its endsv upon I-beams 82 of which the frontends rest upon the transversely extending portions 74 ofthe arms,

and the rear ends restupon the shaft 66 carrying the rear sprocketwheels 39. A common construction of the` truck wheels comprises woodenspokes retained by bolts between a brake drum 86, (Fig. 8) and a flange487 en atubular hub 88 surrounding a tube 80 carrying the weight and`through which passes the driving axle 81. 'lhese bolts and ,the spokesare' removed, and in place of the s okes there are interposed. betweenthe bra e drum and the flange a housing consisting of inner and outerannular disks 89, 91, (Fig. 11 Vhaving at their inner A edges tubularthrea ed extensions 92, 93,

screwed into one another, and secured by screws or studs'95 throughotheenga gportions of the threads. The outer tu ular extension furnishes asupport for a roller bearing 96 `which rolls in a casing 97 secured tothe I-beam 82, its rollers rolling in said casingupon said I-beam. l

Said tubular hu-b 88 is rotated in the Same 6e manner' as when it formedpart of the rear til wheel of the truck. For this purpose there issecured between a flange 101, extending outwardly from the outer end ofthe hub, and a cover plate 102, a ring, having at its inner edge anumber, as four, of recesses, which are engaged by dogs or teeth 106extending radially outward from a disk 107 formed on the correspondingend of the driving axle 81. In the present case, this ring is removedand in place thereof there is substituted a ring 108, having on itsouter periphery a pinion 109, so that said pinion is rotated in the sameway as the rear Wheel was rotated by the power which drives the rearaxle. Said pinion is so arranged that .it engages internal gear teeth111 formed upon a ring 112 removably secured by bolts 113 to a rearsprocket wheel 39 of the corresponding tread attachment. 114 indicatesan oil receptacle from which oil drips by a pigsJ7 116 upon the rollersof the tread.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a tractor, a tread frame, bearings secured to the ends of saidtread frame,

sprocket wheels, shafts therefor mounted in..

said bearings, a chain engaging said sprocket wheels, rollers carried bysaid cham, and upper and lower fiat wear plates removably secured tosaid frame between the sprocket wheels and engaged by said rollers.

2. A chain for track laying tractors, comprising links each formed ofsheet metal link members and bolts connecting said members, each linkmember having a main portion and apertured ears bent at right anglesthereto, a shaft passing through said apertures, and a roller on saldshaft.

`3. A chain for track laying tractors, conrprising links each formed ofsheet metal link members and bolts connecting said members, each linkmember having a main portion and apertured ears bent at right anglesthereto, shafts passing through said apertures, spacing tubes on saidshafts between said ears, and rollers on said spacing tube.

4. A track laying tractor chain, compris' jacent theouter ears of twoside members of each link,J a bolt extending through the ears on eachside member. and also through the portion of the shoe adjacentthereto,and

a roller Aaround each bolt. 5. A track laying tractor chain, com risinglinks, each formed with side mem ers,

each side member having on opposite sides ears bent at right angles toits main portion, a shoe, the opposite edges of which lie adjacent tothe outer ears of two side members of each link, atransversely extendingtraction grip on each shoe, a bolt extending through the earsvon eachside member and also through the' portion of the shoe and dll tractiongrip adjacent thereto, and a roller around each bolt.

6. A track laying tractor tread frame, converging upper and lower barsextendin from the front and rear-ends4 of said trea frame, means forspacing apart the outer ends of said bars, bearings secured between saidouter ends,l shafts in said bearings, sprocket wheels on said shafts,and a tread ychain around lsaid sprocket wheels.

7. A track laying traction tread frame, converging upper and lower barsextending from the front and rear ends of said tread frame, means forspacing apart the outer ends of said bars, bearings secured between thesaid outer ends, the bearings between the front outerends beingslidable, shafts in said bearings, sprocket wheels in said shafts, and atread chain around said sprocket wheels.

8. d track laying Vtractor frame, a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted inIthe rear end of said trame, a frame adjustably secured in the front endet the tread frame and compricing longitudinally extending `upper andlower plates; and standards secured to said lates, a sprocket wheelrotatably mountedv in the front end of said adjustable trame, and achain around said sprocket wheels.

9. d track laying tractor tread frame, a sprocket wheel rotatablymounted in the rear end ci said traine, a :trarne adjnstably secured inthe front end of the tread frame, and comprising longitudinallyextending 'upper and lower plates, and standards secured to said plates,a sprocket wheel rota tably mounted in the front end oit' saidadjustable trame, a chain around said sprocket wheels, a cross membercarried by said adjustable frame, a longitudinally extending rod guidedin said cross member, means entending around the shaft of the houtsprocket `wheel and operatively connected 'to the front end ci said rod,anda spring for pressing said shaft forwardly.

10. ln combination with a tractor body having a main tractor or trameand tread trames movable vertically independently of the -tractorframeand having a transverse driving axle, a tube around said drivin axle, atubular hub around said tube an having a flange, a brake drum aroundsaid tubular hub, inner and outer annular disks between the brake drumand the Harige, having at their inner edges tubular threaded entensionsscrewed into one another, means 'for securing together said extension, aroller bearing supported by the outer extension, a

casing for said roller bearing, and beams secuied to said casings, ofwhich the rear portions move with the main tractor frame and the :troutportions move with the tread frames. I 11. ln combination with a tractorbody having a transverse driving shaft, pinions inlener secured on theends of said shaft, track laying tread frames one on each side of thebody, a sprocket wheel supported in the rear end of each tread frame, ashaft therefor, a

gear Wheel coaxiallysecured to each Sprocket' wheel and meshing with thepinion on the same side oi' the body, an idler vsprocket wheel at thefront end of each tread frame, arms pivotally attached to said body andextending tirst forwardl. from their pivots and then outwardly, theirouter ends being movably attached to the tread frames, bars at the sidesof the body and upon mediate portions of which said body is supported,the terminal portions of the bars being supported respectively bytherear sprocket wheels and said arms, and a tread chain around thesprocket wheels of each .tread frame. l

12. ln combination with a tractor body7 track layingtread frames one oneach side of the body, a sprocket wheel supported in the rear end ofeach tread frame, a shalt therefor, an idler sprocket wheel at the frontend of each tread' frame, arms pivotally attached to said body, theirouter ends being movably attached to the tread trames, bars at the sidesci the body and upon mediste portions oi which said body is supported,the terminal portions ci the bars being supported respectively by therear sprocket wheels and said arms,n and a tread chain around thesprocket wheels of each tread frame.,

13. ln combination with a tractor body,

ytread frames, one ob each side of said body,

a shaft supporting an end oit said tractor body, sprocket wheels on theends of said shaft, endless chains around said sprocket wheels, atransverse shaft secured to the tractor trame, a vibrating arm supportedby.

each end o1?. the shaft comprising a longitu-I dinally extending member,a sleeve around the sha-lt at one end ol said member and a transverselyand outwardly extending member at its other end, and a spring resting oneach of the latter members and supporting the adjacent tread frame. i

lt. ln combination with a tractor body, tread frames, one on each sideot said body, a sha-lt supporting an end of said tractor body, sprocketwheels on the ends of said shaft, endless chains around said sprocketwheels, a transverseshat't secured to the tractor frame, a vibrating armsupported by each end of the shaft comprising a' longitudinallyextending member, a sleeve around the shaft at one end of Said memberand a lllll transversely and outwardly extending me "ik tread frame onthe other side of spring from tivelyto the tractor body.

said shaft being wholly free to move relaf.

- sprocket Wheel shafts and the front ends menacer l5. ln combinationwith a tractor body, tread frames, one on each side of said tractorbody, a rear sprocket Wheel in each tread frame, arms pivotallyconnected to the tractor body and extendin forwardly therefrom andresting at their forward ends uponV the respective tread frames, adriving shaft, bars von opposite sides of the tractor body supportingsaid driving shaft, the rear ends of said bars being supported on therear upon the 'front portions of said arms.

16. In combination with a truck frame having a driving shaft, pinionssecured on the end of said driving shaft, a shaft supported b said truckframe behind the driving sha t, sprocket Wheels on said latter shaft,bearings for the ends of said latter shaft, tread frames supporting saidbearings and extending forwardly thereof, idler sprocket wheelsrotatably supporting the front ends of said tread frames, longitudinallyextending sprocket chains around said sprocket Wheels, bars on each sideof the truck frame, mediate portions of which support the driving shaft,rear ends of said bars ported by said truck frame behind the drivingshaft, sprocket Wheelsq onl said latter shaft having internal gearwheels meshing with said pinions, bearlngs for the ends of said ,lattershaft, tread frames supporting said bearings and extending forwardlythereof, idler sprocket Wheels rotatably supporting the front ends ofsaid tread frames, longitudinally extending sprocket chains around saidsprocket Wheels, springs compressed between the tread frames and thetruck body, bars on each side of the truc-k frame, mediate portions ofWhich support the driving shaft, rear ends 'of said bars resting on therear sprocket 'Wheel shaft,

and front ends being supported by portions of the tread frame in advanceof said rear sprocket Wheels.

v ERNEST M. MCKENZIE.

